A Brief Interlude
by storytellergirl
Summary: Will and Caleb share a moment in between battles.


**Disclaimer: This stuff doesn't belong to me obviously.**

**A/N: I'm supposed to be writing a paper that's due tomorrow, but I hit writer's block and decided to write this instead. It's a simple one-shot, a brief take in between the fight against evil. There won't be more after it. So please enjoy.**

_**A Brief Interlude **_

"Another battle…always another battle," murmured Will to her self. She sighed and wrapped her arms around her body as she gazed at the land from her perch on the balcony. The sun was setting, casting an orange glow across the fields of Meridian.

Will was tired of fighting. At the age of seventeen she had spent too many years fighting battles in another world. Her mother had long ago stopped asking questions about the scrapes and bruises Will came home with every week. Matt and her had mutually decided to end their relationship after she missed another one of his concerts to fight evil. It seemed that Will was only pushing people away these days.

"When will it ever stop?" she asked herself.

"You think evil will just go away if you ask it to?" teased a male voice. Will glanced up as Caleb joined her on the balcony.

"It couldn't hurt to ask," replied Will with another sigh.

Caleb gave her a small smile as he rested his arms on the balcony railing. "The people of Meridian have dreamed of peace since before I was born. And, from what I've learned, the people of Earth have dreamed of peace even longer. Evil is always there, lurking and waiting for a chance to gain control."

Will pouted. "Couldn't they at least wait until I'm out of school? My grades have dropped so much in the last few years that I'm seriously considering not going to college now."

"But you're doing good here," pointed out Caleb softly.

"I know I am, but I miss being normal."

"Normal? Were you ever normal?" Caleb chuckled at the thought.

Will shot the dark haired boy a glare as she continued speaking. "I miss going to the movies on the weekends, I miss hanging out with my mom and actually being able to talk to her about stuff, I miss Matt, I miss going to the mall—I actually miss shopping…I miss everything. Everything that I took for granted before I became the Keeper of the Heart. I seriously need a vacation."

"I know it's been hard on you, Will. It's been hard on everyone since we put Elyon back on the throne. But you have to try and look beyond what you're missing out on and look at the things you've accomplished. You girls have become more powerful since you first took up your powers. You've saved lives, brought hope to our world, and that hope has given them a reason to keep fighting," said Caleb glancing over at the red head.

She had grown up since they had first met. All the girls had. They were almost adults now, and still fighting for Meridian and Earth. Will was taller now, her hair longer, and she no longer looked like a small boy. She acted older too. She was wiser than a normal teen her age, as well as mature. Will was definitely a leader. Meridian hung onto her every word when it came time to talk battle tactics. She wasn't a kid anymore.

"Caleb," started Will still staring out at the land of Meridian, "don't you ever wish you could stop time?"

"Stop time?"

"Sure, you know, stop time and capture a moment that you could live forever and ever?"

"Huh?" Caleb scratched his head in confusion.

Will's face broke into a small grin. "I want to stop time right now. I don't want to walk back into the castle and work on battle plans…I just want to admire the sunset…drink in the fresh air and just…I don't know. I guess I'm being selfish. I just want to stand here forever and pretend that I'm not leading a double life. I want to pretend that tomorrow I won't be leading an attack; I'll be going to my senior prom…or a date…just something, anything that I haven't been able to do for a while."

"Be normal," stated Caleb simply.

"Yeah, be normal. Return to the way things were before I had magical powers." Will lapsed into silence. She felt bad for thinking this way; it was kind of selfish of her. Here she was doing good in the world and all she wanted was to go home and hug her mom.

"Someday things might be normal," murmured Caleb.

Will rolled her eyes. "Highly doubtful," she returned glibly.

Caleb shrugged. "You never know." He paused for a moment before going on. "You know, Will, maybe it's time you took your life in your own hands."

"How?"

"You can start by telling your mom the truth. Tell her what you've been doing the last four years. Let her in this part of your life. I think she'd understand."

"You think so?" Will turned to Caleb with a glimmer of hope shining in her eyes.

"Yeah, I do."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I should start over. Forget about the things I'm not able to do and concentrate on the things I _can _do. I guess I can still be normal, huh?"

"Oh, I don't know about that," replied Caleb trying to keep a straight face. Will narrowed her eyes and gave him a small punch in the arm.

"Very funny. Some friend you are."

"I try my best."

Will shook her head in amusement and the two turned their attention back to the orange sky. "It's beautiful here."

"It is."

"Do you think Elyon would make me an official Meridian? And my mom? I think my mom would love it here…once the monsters are all gone again."

"I bet she'd love it here."

"It's more home than Earth is anyway," agreed Will with another soft sigh.

Caleb glanced over at Will again thoughtfully. "Meridian and Earth aren't that different you know. You can still do things here that you do on Earth."

"Watch a movie?"

"No."

"Go shopping?"

"Not really?"

"Sleep in?"

"Only when the monsters aren't attacking."

"Date?"

"Yeah, you can probably do that."

"You guys aren't gonna have a good brochure—you sure don't offer much. Dating. Hmph, that isn't even the best part of being on Earth. I'll miss the nachos."

"The nachos?"

"Yep. And the hotdogs. Those were pretty good too."

Caleb shook his head. "I take it back, you'll never be normal, Will."

"So, dating? Where do you guys go on dates here?" questioned Will changing the subject with another grin tugging on her lips.

"Wherever you want…when you can spare the time in between monster attacks. Hay-Lin dragged whatshisface out for a picnic in the woods," pointed out Caleb.

"Yeah, and if I recall they were attacked by a monster, and we had to go rescue them."

"Cornelia took that one guy for a walk around the palace—"

"I'm starting to think that you don't know very names around here, Caleb."

"Names? Here I am telling you how you can be normal in Meridian and you're worried I don't know the names of a couple of guys?" Caleb made a face as Will shrugged.

He was too busy to remember the names of everyone who came into their hectic lives. If someone stayed then he made a point of getting to know them, but if they were simply passing through he didn't even bother. Caleb had grown up a lot since the first battle against evil. He was taller, more muscular, and had a slight stubble growing on his face. He and Cornelia had drifted apart, and were now more brother and sister than anything else. It didn't upset him that things had changed. Caleb was used to change. He went through it everyday upon waking up. He had lost many good friends, and he had gained many more in the fight versus evil. Change was normal to Caleb these days.

"Don't you wish you were normal?" asked Will finally.

"What, you don't think I'm normal?" joked Caleb, his eyes twinkling in merriment.

"You know what I mean."

Caleb shrugged nonchalantly. "Everyone wishes they were normal. All I want these days is the closest thing to normalcy I'll ever get."

"What's that?"

"I haven't exactly figured it out yet."

"But you've had to have thought about it, right?" pressed Will.

"I guess. I just want something new."

"New clothes?"

"No, new life."

"Just because you have a lame life now doesn't mean you can wish for a new one, Caleb. That's not how it works," replied Will wryly.

"Ha. Ha. Funny. I want more in my life than just routine battles and sleep. That's all I seem to be doing—fighting and sleeping. I want more."

Will pursed her lips thoughtfully. "You're right; you do need a new life."

"Why do I put up with you?" groaned Caleb.

Will giggled. "'Cause you don't have a choice, that's why."

"It's not too late to find a new Keeper of the Heart," said Caleb with a grin.

"Oh, please, if a monster can't take me out then neither can you," muttered Will. Caleb chuckled. The pair became quiet again, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Caleb, do you think we'll always be fighting to keep Meridian free?" asked Will suddenly.

Caleb frowned. "I think you'll find more to life than just fighting," he returned quietly.

"How will I know when that happens? Everything else has become routine. We do the same things over and over again. Nothing ever changes," whined Will. Caleb nodded absently, giving Will a sideways glance. Then without warning he turned and caught her lips with his own. Will was startled at first, but she quickly responded by bringing a hand up to his face as she kissed him back.

They broke away without a word, gazing into each other's eyes when Irma appeared on the balcony.

"Hurry up! The others are getting cranky—you were supposed to start battle plans an hour ago! Sheesh, I can't let you two take a break anymore, can I? And what the heck were you looking at anyway? The sun's going down! Man, next time Corny can come get you two—I think I pulled a muscle coming up here!" Irma turned back around and disappeared back inside the castle muttering to her self.

Caleb and Will shook their heads in amusement before glancing at each other shyly. Will tilted her head to one side before finally reaching out and taking Caleb's hand in her own.

"I guess we need to get back to reality," she said softly as she entwined her fingers with his.

Caleb simply grinned. "Let them wait," he whispered. And with that Caleb bent down to kiss Will on the lips once more. Normal was highly overrated.

_**The End**_


End file.
